Sixteen Candles
by Hermione0018
Summary: It's the classic story of the romantic movie
1. How It All Began

A/N: Well well well. So you've found my quaint little story! I honestly hope you, the ready enjoy it, because if you don't, I'm not doing my job. I love getting feedback so I know how I can fix my story and make it better for you! Obviously, this is Harry Potter characters in the story Sixteen Candles. If you haven't seen the movie, rent it. So the cat is out of the bag; I didn't come up with the plot. However, there might be some differences here and there. And the last line is from the wonderful movie The Rules of Attraction. Enjoy!  
  
PS: If you cant get enough of my writing (laugh laugh joke joke, boy, I crack myself up) you can always read my other stories, Till Death Do Us Apart, and the prequel, A Winter's tale. Original plots too! (Wow, she DOES have some original ideas!) Yea, so Once again, enjoy!  
  
  
Sixteen Candles  
  
Chapter One: How It All Began  
  


Sixth year was different. Hermione knew it. She knew Harry and Ron knew it too. The only problem for her was that it was different-good for them and different-not-so-good for her. Hermione sat in the library, a very familiar place, on one of the last warm days of summer which would soon be fading into fall. She came to that familiar place hoping that it would give her comfort to sort through her issues. They were not _problems_. They were _issues_, damnit, and if she could survive all the things she had endured at Hogwarts (i.e. being attacked by : a basilisk, Voldie, and Snape), she could definitely get through this.  
  


flashback  


Hermione remembered when everyone had arrived at the platform for the beginning of the term not so long ago. She remembered pushing her cart timidly towards the train as she glanced at her classmates around her. They all looked so mature and so much older than the last time she had seen them. It was like all of the new sixth years had gone through an aging machine but she had never received her ticket to go.  
  
Finally she saw a familiar head of black, unruly hair standing near the train. Hermione remembered when he turned around to greet her. This, this wasn't Harry. Harry was always on the smaller and scrawnier side. Hermione stopped dead in her tracks as she lost her grip on the cart (and and her ability to form sentences) as the cart rolled to a stop right in front of Harry, who was ten feet away from her. She was still trying to grasp the air for the bar of the cart for another moment before she realized where it was.  
  
_Harry. Oh, god Harry. What have the Dursleys been feeding you_, she thought. Hermione began to step towards that boy she knew so well. Or at least, she thought she did. The closer she got, the harder it was to take in everything about him. His hair, she now noticed, was not unruly, but more of that messy-gelled that she had seen so much in fashion magazines. He was wearing an olive green shirt that said on it, which complemented his eyes. O_h, his EYES! His eyes!_ The most beautiful things she had ever seen. Hermione had always known Harry had nice green eyes, but now, she couldn't see how would ever do as a sufficient description. There was no beating around the bush, Harry had finally grown into his reputation as the most popular guy in school. The only thing that seemed to be the same were his glasses, which helped Hermione to gulp and walk forward towards her old friend.  
  
he said, breaking into a beautiful grin. Harry grabbed her hands and gripped them tightly as he spoke. Can you believe it? We're sixth years! I hardly can. He let Hermione's hands fall to her sides again and enveloped her into a short but tight embrace as she stayed silent. Partially because she didn't want to interrupt the perfect moment.  
  
However, fate had other plans as Ron ran up to the two, wrapping his long arms around each of them. Ah, my two favorite people! he said slapping Harry on the back, Well, that is other than Snape of course.  
  
Harry chuckled and broke into that grin that Hermione couldn't help but fall for.  
  
And truly, she did fall.  
  
Harry said, looking to his friend who landed oh her butt on the pavement. She looked back up at him as he extended a gentle hand that easily pulled her up.  
  
Are you ok? Ron asked, confused.  
  
she replied, trying to regain her composure, I think I'm just a bit dizzy.  
  
Harry furrowed his brow with a look of concern. Well then, we better get you seated in the train. Then I'll go get you some water.  
  


~  


  
She both hated and loved that day. She loved it when they touched. His fingers on her hands and arms caused a peculiar tingling sensation that Hermione wouldn't have minded having at every moment in time. She also hated that day because that invisible wedge that was being driven between the two boys and herself became more apparent just then.  
  
Hermione snapped back to attention as five young, giggling Ravenclaw girls walked through the library door, much to the disappointment of Madame Pince. Her eyes combed back over the table as she remembered all the homework she would have to get done this weekend. And on her birthday, too. Yes, tomorrow would be her birthday, her only saving grace. However, Ron had a date with some girl he had been obsessing over for months who was in Hufflepuff and Harry had a Quidditch match against Slytherin. But that didn't mean they would forget the birthday of their bestest best best friend in the whole wide world! _No_, she told herself. _They have always made room for me_. That's what she loved about them.  
  
But, there was Cho.  
  
_Ah yes,_ she thought, _CHO_. The words struck jealousy into the hearts of girls and admiration into the boys'. _Cho, with her perfect body and her perfect grades and her perfect Quidditch career and her...perfect boyfriend. Oh Harry..._  
  
There was no good in feeling sorry for herself. She packed up her belongings and headed back to the common room to go straight to bed.  
  
~~~~  
  
Hermione bolted awake after what had seemed like a moments rest. Once she could finally focus, she gazed around her room to see that the other girls had already left the dorm for breakfast. _Hmm_, she thought, _I must have woken up later than I expected_.  
  
She climbed out of bed and walked over to the full-length mirror that stood in the corner of her room. So this is sixteen.  
  
What dear? her mirror said, Did you expect to wake up completely transformed?  
  
she replied, surveying herself, I just thought I would wake up with an improved mental state that would show in my face. All that shows is I don't have anything left of a tan from my family vacation in South France. Hermione sighed with disapproval and walked over to her dresser to change. When she was done she took one last look in the mirror and said, You need four inches of bod and a great birthday!.  
  
Good luck, dear! the mirror called back as she left the room.  
  
Harry and Ron were sitting on the couch, without fail, and adamantly talking about Quidditch. _What else_. They smiled at her when she walked up to them, dragging her book bag sluggishly behind her.  
  
Boy Hermione, we thought you must have been ill. You're never late! Ron said while nudging her with his elbow.  
  
she began, notice anything DIFFERENT about me today? Hermione smiled hard at them hoping they would get the hint.  
  
No not really, Ron said. Come ON! We're going to miss breakfast! WIth that, he stood up, grabbed his two friends, and pulled them in the direction of the portrait hole. Ginny was just walking in and Hermione wrenched out of Ron's grasp to talk to her. She told Harry and Ron that she would see them later.  
  
Ginny asked as soon as the two boys had left.  
  
So THEY DIDN'T REMEMBER!  
  
  
  
  
  
Ginny asked, What did you expect? A breakfast birthday party?  
  
No, but they could have at least said Happy birthday.' I mean, it was just like any other day. Arg!! They're just to preoccupied with Quidditch and girls.  
  
Hermione, dear, I think most normal males their age are. We are just meant to suffer.   
  
The two girls chatted a little bit longer and then went their separate ways for class. However, Hermione's History of Magic class was joined by Ginny's Transfiguration class because Professor McGonagall had an urgent errand and Professor Binns had the largest classroom.  
  
Hermione tried really hard to concentrate on the boring lecture on the Warlock Agreement of 1798, but it was so incredibly hard when one was sitting next to Harry Potter. Suddenly a note zoomed from the corner of the room to her seat. She looked up to see Parvati wink at her from across the room. She unfolded the note to reveal...a sex test?! _Oh god, grow up_. She shifted her stack of books to Harry's side so he couldn't read what she was writing and then she began to fill it out. It wasn't that interesting. Mostly questions like Have you ever done it? or Have you ever touched it? _Yea, like I could even lie about those_. Then, the last question was Who would you do it with if you could pick anyone? Hermione turned her head towards Harry, who was stretching his arms up in the air. He sighed and looked back at Hermione with a big smile. She turned beet red and looked back down again. _Well, my name's not on this so...what the hell. Harry Potter_.  
  
The note said she was supposed to pass it on to Ginny so she glanced around the room only to find Ginny sitting at the table right behind her. Hermione fake-streached and dropped the note onto what she thought was Ginny's table. She neglected to realize Ginny had fallen asleep and the note bounced off the edge of the table and landed right at Harry's feet. Now Harry was no Hermione but he could tell the girls were passing notes. So when this note landed in front of him, he waited for Hermione to focus back on the lesson again and quickly grabbed the little paper.  
  
~~~~  
  
After class, Hermione was leaning up against the wall...and panicking. You're SURE you don't have the note?!?! Ginny shook her head. I didn't have my name on it but it had some pretty personal stuff. I had to name who I'd do it with if I could pick.  
  
Who'd you pick?  
  
she said in a small voice, unlike her own.  
  
Harry?!?! He thinks you guys are like brother and sister!  
  
Oh, gee thanks, Ginny, that's a nice thing to say at a time like this.  
  
Well, he's taken. And I mean REALLY taken.  
  
God I hate that Cho.  
  
~~~~  
  
The quidditch game had been canceled previously due to an outbreak of some new species that had broken loose that Hagrid had recently created. It went rampaging through the school grounds and managed to destroy much of the Quidditch pitch. The week the pitch was done, there was a game between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw on Saturday already. The only choice was to cancel Friday afternoon classes and hold the game then.  
  
Harry was sitting in the Gryffindor locker room with keeper, Dean Thomas, before the game and the two were chatting it up about the usual: Quidditch and Girls.  
  
What do you think of Hermione Granger? Harry asked him as he began to polish the handle of his Firebolt.  
  
She's your and Ron's best friend, right?  
  
Yeah. Would you ever go out with her?  
  
Depends on how much you paid me Dean replied with a chuckle.  
  
She's not ugly, Harry replied with a defensive look on his face.  
  
It's not ugly, it's just...void. There's nothing in it. Plus you've got Cho, now there's a real woman. Hermione's too young to party serious.  
  
Well, maybe I'm interested in more than a party.  
  
~~~~  
  
Fed up with all her birthday drama, she headed back to her room before the quidditch match after she finished in Arithmancy.  
  
As she rounded the corner she came face-to-face with Colin Creevy, the only thing more slick than Draco Malfoy's hair. Hey you sweet thing. he said, stopping to block her path by leaning against the wall with one hand on his hip.  
  
Oh geeze, not now... she mumbled under her breath.  
  
So are you hungry? Or do angels not eat? he continued with a grin.  
  
she said, look, I'm really not in the mood.  
  
he asked, you got a boyfriend?  
  
Hermione replied, three big ones and they lust wimp blood. So quit bugging me or I'll sic them all over your weenie ass!  
  
You know, I'm sensing some hostility here, he said, reaching over to touch her shoulder.  
  
Go to hell, she retorted.  
  
Very hostile! Just answer me one question—  
  
Yes, you're a total fag.  
  
He fake chuckled. That's not the question. Colin took a step forward and she could smell the gross cheap cologne that emanated from him. Am I turning you on?  
  
Disgusted, Hermione knocked his hand down that was blocking her path and walking past him. Colin kept smiling as he watched her leave.  
  
She continued on her original path right back to the portrait hole, which swung open after she muttered, Hermione, feeling exhausted went straight to her room and collapsed with a sigh on her bed. God. It was like bad poetry: and then what?  
  
~~~~  
  
End Chapter One! Thank you readers! You keep me going!


	2. The Quidditch Match and Then Some

A/N: I wasn't going to finish this tonight, but some people have been so insistent that I thought I'd do it just for them! Yay!! Go me! But in turn you must feel sorry for me falling asleep in Trig tomorrow! So there are probably a lot of mistakes, and that's why. I just wanted to get it up. I'll fix it later.  
  
Chapter Two: The Quidditch Match and Then Some  
  
Once inside the portrait hole, Hermione made a beeline for her room. It was the one place she knew she wouldn't run into Colin. She walked into her dormitory and slammed the door a little louder than she anticipated. Hermione gave an exasperated sigh as she dropped all her belongings on her dresser and fell backwards across her bed. She was trying to stretch by arching her back against the bed when she her a noise and turned her head. Someone else's head popped out from under Hermione's bed.  
  
What's happening hot stuff?  
~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, Colin Creevy was in the Gryffindor locker room before the game started. He had tried out and been denied every year, but he still thought that by hanging out around the players they would take him back.  
  
Hey Harry? How's it going? Do you feel ready? Should I go try to listen to the Slytherins' plans? Colin bombarded Harry as he walked through the entrance to the locker room in full Quidditch regalia.  
  
Colin, calm down. Everything is great, Harry said calmly. He picked up his broom and began to polish it with the new polish Ron had bought him for his birthday. He stopped, remembering something he had seen earlier. Hey Colin...  
  
Colin looked up from polishing all the other brooms.  
  
Are you and Hermione together?  
  
Not at the moment, but you never know! he said with a smile.  
  
Harry just looked confused.  
~~~~  
  
Oh my god Lavender! Did you hear how we were getting an exchange student from that Wizarding school in China? Parvati told her friend anxiously as she entered the common room from her previous class. I didn't even know they _had_ wizarding schools there!  
  
Of course they do, you dimwit! Where do you think Tokyo is? Anyway, don't bother. He's _extremely_ weird. In fact, Long Duck Dong in our dorm room right now, which is why I'm out here. I told him that he wasn't allowed to be in there. He just called me hot stuff and climbed in a closet. Lavender's gaze never lifted from her _Teen Witch Weekly_ as she blew on a wet nail and turned a page.  
  
Parvati opened her mouth to speak, but at that instant, Hermione came bursting out of the dorm room and down the staircase. Did you know there's a weird guy currently UNDER MY BED?? she asked incredulously.  
  
That's Long Duck Dong, Lavender said knowingly.  
  
  
  
Long Duck Dong. The weird guy under your bed? Parvati turned and faced Hermione. He's that foreign exchange student McGonagall said would be here.   
  
Parvati, _what_ are you doing? Is that ballet? Hermione asked as Parvati stretched out her arm and her leg like a ballerina.  
  
Nope, just stretching incase—  
  
—we meet any cute Ravenclaws at the game, Lavender finished.  
  
Since when does snogging involve having flexible legs? Oh... Hermione realized and blushed a bit as Lavender giggled back at her.  
Parvati walked over to the window and gazed with a purpose outside. Aren't you going to the game, Hermione?  
  
she replied slowly.   
  
Parvati said glancing down again, It looks as though they have just started.  
  
Oh _great_! she said, rushing back up the stone stairs for her scarf. The steps always seemed to take longer when she was in a hurry. Ignoring Long Duck Dong who had moved from under her bed to trying on Lavender's dress robes, she quickly grabbed her scarf and headed back out again. She had never missed a game of Harry's before, and even if he had forgotten her birthday, Hermione still felt obligated to go see him. She was going so fast that when she ran by one of the long red couches, Hermione stubbed her toe.   
  
Parvati said shocked. We'll see you there. Lavender and I are going for fashionably late.  
  
She kept going out the portrait hole, but turned around at the last second and added, Lavender, I do believe Long Duck Dong is trying on your dress robes. And the portrait hole swung shut.  
  
Hermione ran down four sets of stairs, whizzed through the Fat Friar (to his and Hermione's surprise), skated through the dining and entrance halls, tromped through the field next to Herbology, and finally made it to the quidditch pitch (in record time). Out of breath and physically drained, Hermione climbed up to the top of the Gryffindor stands, where she found Ginny sitting (and shamelessly flirting) with Seamus.  
  
Hey guys, she managed to squeak out before collapsing on Ginny's unoccupied side of the bench.  
  
What happened to you? Ginny asked eyeing her up and down.  
  
Ah, nothing, I just ran here.  
  
At that moment, someone else sat down next to Hermione and her heart sank as she turned to face Colin Creevy.  
  
I'm back! he announced.  
  
So I smell.  
  
That's my after shave! Come on, don't you want to feel a clean close shave? He reached out and grabbed a hold of her wrist.  
  
I'll pass, thanks, she said shortly, and yanked her wrist away from his grasp.  
  
Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends? he said moving an eyebrow in the direction of Ginny and Seamus.  
  
Oh I'm sorry, she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. This is Ginny Weasley and this is Seamus Finnigan. Guys, this is Colin Creepy.  
  
Colin Creevy.  
  
Whatever geek, Seamus said, looking rather annoyed.  
  
Colin said, turning to Hermione and then looking down again. I came here to ask you something. I don't normally do this sort of thing, but my dad always says If you want something, you've got to ask.' Actually its a bit embarrassing, you see... Colin had finally looked back up to see that Hermione had left and the other two were staring suspiciously at him. Hehehe. Heh.  
~~~~  
  
Cho Chang walked with her other friends down the hallways as Harry's game was on. Frankly she didn't care. Hey guys, there's going to be a huge party in Gryffindor tonight to celebrate their obvious victory. You guys should come, the password is   
~~~~  
  
Hermione had had enough. _This is it. I can't take it anymore. I don't care if it means leaving Harry's game._ There was really only one place she could go, so she ran.  
  
She finally reached the Astronomy Tower finding it, as usual, empty, leaving her favorite spot in all of Hogwarts all to herself. She sat down on the bench and put her head in her hands. _How do I seem to get myself into situations like this? What did I do to deserve this?_ No sooner had she asked herself these questions than Colin Creevy had tripped over a loose stone and lay sprawled out in front of Hermione. He quickly stood up and brushed himself up before looking Hermione in the eye.  
  
May I sit down? Hermione motioned to him with her hand and he took a close seat next to her.  
  
Sorry if I was a jerk to you earlier, I'm just really having a bad birthday, she said solemnly.  
  
Der ner ner ner ner ner! You say it's your birthday! Der ner ner ner ner ner! It's my birthday too—  
  
STOP! Stop, enough already.  
  
Hey Jude... Colin began to sing with his eyes closed.  
  
Look, I really don't need a serenade right now.  
  
What, you didn't get anything good from your friends?  
  
I got nothing, no cards, not even a Happy Birthday.'  
  
You know, I'd flip if my best friends forgot my birthday.  
  
I mean, I'm sixteen! This is supposed to be a brand new year! I should be happy. But that's the problem, I can't get happy, it's just impossible. Hermione looked over at Colin, trying to read his facial expression without luck. she added, I must be boring you with all this personal shit.  
  
No really! I do care! he said enthusiastically. The suddenly, he looked over at Hermione, deep into her eyes, and rolled on top of her trying without luck to kiss her. Hermione realized what he was trying to do in time and held him back at his shoulders while he puckered up with his eyes closed.  
  
GET OFF OF ME!  
  
Taking the hint, he moved back into an upright position and smoothed back his hair, trying to keep his cool. Look I'm really sorry...  
  
Hermione chuckled. She had to admit, it must have looked pretty funny. That's ok, she said warmly.  
  
That's ok? A light went on inside Colin's head as he took it as a green light for a snog. He rolled back on top of her, only to be held back by a very irritated Hermione. She finally got him restrained and they both sat back down.  
  
You know? I just felt how much you liked me just then, she said, still obviously upset.  
  
Probably zoning in on my brain waves.  
  
No, I felt it on my leg.  
  
  
  
After that, a long period of tense silence followed. The two Gryffindors just kept staring straight in front of them.  
  
Would it be totally out of the question he asked, breaking the ice, if I asked if I could have sex with you?  
  
Hermione turned to face him and just giggled. How could she not? After all that, he still wanted to have sex. she said, It's stupid but I'm kind of saving myself for...someone.  
  
  
  
Hermione frowned.  
  
Come on, who!  
  
Harry Potter? she said a bit nervously.  
  
Harry? Harry's my boy! He just asked me you right before the game! He asked if you were seeing anyone!  
  
No way!  
  
He did! Colin said, adolescent voice squeaking.  
  
Hermione jumped up from the bench. Oh my god! What should I do? Should I go to him? Or should I wait for him to come to me? Oh my god!  
  
Well, I'm a gambling man by nature. I'd go for it.  
  
This sounds crazy, but I think I'm going to do it! Thanks so much! You're the best, Colin. She started to walk away, but Colin called back out to her.  
  
Can I ask you a favor? She nodded. Can I have one kiss? I, I've never kissed a girl before, he said, sounding a bit embarrassed. She sighed and walked over to him. Hermione did feel a bit of an obligation. She leaned in and gave him a soft but short kiss on the lips and left.  
~~~~  
  
A/N: Dun dun dun dun!!! Does Hermione get up the courage to tell Harry how she feels? Does she decided to just go with Colin? What about Cho? I know you already know, but just play along!!!


End file.
